Screw-press



(No Model.)

0. W. METGALPE.

scmw PRESS.

N0. 391,177. Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

STATES UNETE SCREW-PRESS.

PECIPICATIOl! forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,177, dated October 16, 1888.

Application filed March 16, 1:83.

To aZZ whom it 721.03g concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. Mn'roxm n, a citizen of the United States, residing at l-lopkinsville, in the county of Christian and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Iznprovnneuts in S-rnv-Presses; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for prizing tobacco,c0tton,and other products, and myohject is to facilitate the operation of using the press, especially when it is adapted for hand-power; also to dispense, if desired, with the use of blocks between the head and follower.

To these ends the nature of my invention consists in the combination, with the masterscrew of a press, of a segmental clamping device with a lever having an eccentric-head, as will be fully understood from the following description and claims, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a handpress which has my improvements applied to it, representing one form of press to which my invention is applicable. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken in the plane indicated by dotted line x on Fig. 1, showing clearly three gripping-segments and the eccentric-head on the hand-lever. Fig. 3 isatop view of one of the gripping-segments having a tooth formed on its concave side, adapted to engage with the groove between the threads of the master-screw. Fig. 4 is a radial section, indicated by dotted line y g on Fig. 3, of one of the toothed gripping segments.

Referring to the annexed drawings by letter, A designates the horizontal base of a press-frame, B the resisting-head thereof, and C four brace and tie bars securely uniting the said base and head, all forming a substantial structure which is adapted to resist great strain.

In Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings I represent my invention applied to a hand-press which is especially designed for prizing to- Serial No. 263.175. (\0 model.)

bacco, although I do not confine my invention to the pressing of this product.

G designates a hogshead supported temporarily upon the base A, and H designates a step, which is centrally adjusted upon and may be permanently seen red to a follower, H, which is free to lie upon the material being pressed,and which can be removed at pleasure from the hogshead during the operation of pressing. \Vhen the screw D is sufficiently raised, it will leave the step H and allow the follower to be taken out of the hogshead.

The step H is adapted to receive freely the lower end of a master-screw, D, the upper portion of which is tapped through aflanged nut, F, which is suitably secured into the head 13 of the press-frame. It will thus be observed that by rotating the screw D about itslongest axis it will receive vertical movement.

I will now particularly described my improved attachment to the above coutrivance.

L designates a hand-lever, which may be of any convenient length, and which isconstructed with an enlarged head, L, having a segmental face, which is eccentric to a vertical fulcrum-pin, Z, as indicated by the radial dotted lines 0 c c in Fig. 2.

R R designate twojaws, which are parallel to each other and in planes perpendicular to the axis of the master-screw D. These jaws are held together by a belt, a, its nuts and ja1n-nuts, and also by the bolt Z, which latter is passed through the extensions 1" r of the said jaws, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

N N N designate three gripping-segments, which are shouldered at a and titted between the two jaws R B, so that they are more or less loose to be moved about the vertical axis of the screw D. Collectively the three segments N N N do not form a complete circle, as shown in Fig. 2. The two segments N N have teeth or lugs n on their inner sides which engage with the thread of the screw D; but these teeth may be omitted, or in lieu thereof the said two segments may have full female threads to engage with the said screw. The segment N is threadless and is in close relation to the cam-shaped head L of the handlever L, so that in the manipulation of this lever-that is to say, whether it be forced to ward the right or the left-the face of the cam will be caused to impinge against the segment N, thereby forcibly pressing it against the screw D and causing the several segments to bind on it.

In combination with the above devices for clamping the screw I employ what I denominate a stop-pin, P. This pin is adapted to be received in either of the apertures s or the apertures 8' through the extensions 1 of the two jaws R R.

In the operation of the press, after the vessel G has been filled and the follower adjusted upon the material and centrally stepped beneath the screw D, the attendant adjusts the stop-pin P in the apertures .9. He then vibrates lever L, and while moving this lever in the direction indicated by the arrows on Figs. 1 and 2 he causes the cam head of the lever to impinge on the segment .N, thus gripping the screw and causing it to descend. This operation is repeated until the material is pressed. The movements of the screw are reversed by changing the pin 1? to the holes 8. WVhen le ver P is adjusted in the position indicated in Fig. 2, the cam will not impinge against the segment N and the screw D can be turned freely.

Having described my invention, what I ortin -aws and ri in -se ments ofa res p bJ o D 7 movable stop-pin, P, adapted to extensions of said jaws, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES \V. METGALFE. Vitnesscs:

NEW BREATHITT, JAMES BREATHITT. 

